13 July, 2013

Too often, people who are promoted to their first leadership position
miss the point. And that failure probably trips up careers more than any other
reason.

Being a leader changes everything. Before you are a leader, success is all
about you. It’s about your performance. Your contributions. It’s about raising
your hand, getting called on, and delivering the right answer.

When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. It’s about
making the people who work for you smarter, bigger, and bolder. Nothing you do
anymore as an individual matters except how you nurture and support your team
and help its members increase their self-confidence. Yes, you will get your
share of attention from up above—but only inasmuch as your team wins. Put
another way: Your success as a leader will come not from what you do but from
the reflected glory of your team.

Now, that’s a big transition—and no question, it’s hard. Being a leader
basically requires a whole new mindset. You’re no longer constantly thinking
“How can I stand out?” but “How can I help my people do their jobs better?”
Sometimes that requires undoing a couple of decades of momentum. After all, you
probably spent your entire life, starting in grade school and continuing
through your last job, as a contributor who excels at “raising your hand.” But
the good news is that you’ve been promoted because someone above you believes
you have the stuff to make the leap from star player to successful coach.

What does that leap actually involve? First and foremost, you need to actively
mentor your people. Exude positive energy about life and the work that you are
doing together, show optimism about the future, and care. Care passionately
about each person’s progress. Give your people feedback—not just at yearend and
midyear performance reviews but after meetings, presentations, or visits to
clients. Make every significant event a teaching moment. Discuss what you like
about what they are doing and ways that they can improve. Your energy will
energize those around you.

And there’s no need for sugarcoating. Use total candor, which happens, incidentally,
to be one of the defining characteristics of effective leaders.

Through it all, never forget—you’re a leader now. It’s not about you anymore.
It’s about them.